Whether you're already an expert on international and domestic wines or are new to learning the nuance of different wines from various regions, the Napa Valley Wine Train offers a stimulating weekend adventure. This package includes round-trip transportation from San Francisco to Napa as well as a fine-dining lunch experience aboard the train the first afternoon. Overnight accommodations are provided at an accompanying private inn where guests enjoy hot in-room breakfast. Wine tasting cards for over a dozen local winery tasting rooms are also included. Train cars are restored to original woodworking and come equipped with elegant traditional furnishings.
Enjoy a long scenic journey across the country from the comfort of your sleeping car or by relaxing in a recliner seat in the main car. Amtrak service offers a route from Chicago to Seattle on the train Empire Builder. Guests leave the Great Lakes area and head straight west, taking in the beauty of prairie land, rocky mountains and finally the lush, green forests of the Pacific northwest. Several portions of this trip run alongside or cross over the historical Lewis and Clark trail and guests have access to a various dining cars as well as a sightseer lounging area. Spend the entire weekend seeing the country and hop a plane back to Chicago after enjoying the afternoon in Seattle. Cross the Mississippi river and view the nighttime skyline of Minneapolis. Have cameras ready for Big Sky country in Montana as well as Glacier National Park.
For an exotic weekend adventure, take a trip on the Orient Express and travel from Venice to London. Pass through breathtaking mountains and view scenic vibrant landscaping filled with open grassy spaces, trees and flowering bushes. This train is a luxurious ride, fully equipped to handle numerous relaxing amenities and upscale experiences, from the Victorian-designed fine-dining car to sleeping cars with a sofa, table, two beds, wash basin and 24-hour steward. Numerous elegantly restored dining cars are offered, guests can enjoy breakfast and afternoon tea in their private suites and a bar car is also on board. Make a brief stop in Paris and have your camera at the ready for shots of scenic Kent as you arrive.
